Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-21
INAUGURAL SPEECHES.
The First Declarations of thu New
Administration to the People Of
the Lone Star State.
Gov. Ross Utterances Full OF Firm.
ness and Patriotism as Man Of the
People TO the People.
The Different Interests of the State
Touched Upon and Many Valuable
Recommendations Made.
Special to the Gazette.


AUSTIN, Ten, Jan. lS.-Following are
verbatim reports OF the inaugural ad
dresses of Gov. Ross and Lieut.-Gov
Wheeler:
GOV. ROSS ADDRESS.
Fellow-citizens, Senators and Repre-.
sentatives in the Legislature of Texas
Every two years the people are called to
select from the citizens of the state those
who are to administer the affairs of their
government. In making this choice,
every political question that touches the
honor, progress and Well-being CT the
country is July considered; policies, laws
and institutions are freely discussed. And
as you have just come from the people, it
is fair TO presume that you are fully pre-
pared to give expression to what may be
termed the logic of the popular mind.
Probably no Legislature was ever con-
fronted by graVer responsibilities. Those
who study the public affairs of our state,
and consider the want of homogeneity in
its population, its industrial pursuits,
business enterprises and social sympa-
thIes are aware of the fact tina: it pre-
sents questions vastly more complicated
anu lLlul an OIlC1 ElGlC !,
and the knowledge required 10 deal with
them wisely, and work ont safe issues, is
immense.
have profound hope, not clouded
with the slightest doubt, tnat these great
anu vital measures will be undertaken
with commendabIe temper, moderation
and fairness; and | feel confident That
you will meet brayely, unseltishly and
Loyalty, the great work confronting you.
Recognizing q common obligation to do
full Justice to all, the humOlest as well
aS the highest-and make stronger the
bonds which should unite Us, IS q people,
IN commoa, grand deStiuy-COmmensu
rate with q state boundless in its re-
sources, Infinite in its possibilities, and
extending the largest freedom of pursuit
in matters of religious COncernment,
social habits, and business engagements,
with no respect Of persons, in regard to
rank or place of birth, in unison with
that political creed which peculiarly dis
tinguishes our system of popular gov
eminent
The legislator has a peculiar province
committed to his care, and is expected TO
meet the constant variations in the con-
ditions OF society, its interests and
its securities. 1t is the experience
and the wants of society, that
teach what laws are necessary:
and they should be enacted and framed
according to these demands and eXigen-
Cles. But the probabilities of frequent
changes of policy, upon economic ques-
lions in our state, is, doubtless, a great
disadvantage to its general prosperity.
What it needs and pleads for is stability
-permanency-s omething upon which
the people may safely rely, as abiding.
1t is not to be expected that great enter
prises will take that scope, or feel that
vigor, confronted with the liability of radi
cal change each two years that they would,
could the assurance exist that q given
policy would abide, so that men might be
certain to reap the reward of their SOW
ing. Experience demonstrates that
frequent changes in non es-
senJials are more hurtful, IN I'M
settling the minds of the people,
than the small defects which these
changes have generally proposed to rem
edy; to say nothing of the increased cost
of legislation ana the neglect of more i'm
portant matters. Besides, it is possible
10 so complicate legislation as to render
its effects nugatorY, and to make the SIM
plest provision q loop hole through which
improper practices are possible; and it
may not be deemed amiss to say that the
practice has become quite too general by
which the most important business of
each session, affecting laws and we'll
established policies, is crowded into its
last hours-thus cOnstraining members,
without time for mature elaboration, to
either suffer measures to become laws, or
incur the risk of subJecting the state and
individuals to great loss and inCOnyeni-
ence.
In the philosophy of our government
we have system of distributed powers
between the different parts thereof so in
corpOrated into the general system, end
endowed with such functions, as to ena-
ole them 10 act as checks upon each other.
And there has been assigned to each,
with great precision and certainty, its APP
propriate functions, wisely guarding the
whole by expressly forbidding the exer-
else, by any one Of them, OF the powers
assigned to either of the others.
1t is further seen that the same admira-
bic distribution of powers exists between
the general and state governments, and
while the nature and scope of the sys-
tenn is complex in its maCH inery, it
is, at the same time. simple in its opera
ton. According to this theory, q very
large portion OF the functions of govern
ment is of local character. The federal
government takes cognizanCe Of those
matters of national interest, and leaves
the great mass of governmental powers to
the states, which, in turn, largely distrib-
ute them out to the counties, and one i'm
portant branch of the gOyernment-the
udicisry-requires the aid Of the individ-
ual citizen in the jury-boX. All, however,
proceed rpoE the theory OF seligOvern-
ment, and assume that the people OF every
locality ere competent and well-dispOsed
to it.
This being true, it is important that the
state shall be lacking IN no essential quail
ity to afford protection and security to
person and property IN every emergency,
and present no preteXt for the extension
Of the area of federal power, which, by
express giant coupled with an imperative
Injunction for its exercise, is given TO
those invoking it, in the provision that
declares, "No state shall deny to any per
son within its Jurisdiction the equal pro-
lection of the laws" If, therefore, we
would pre- erve the dignity Of our state,
and make it sovereign with respect to its
internsl government, it must stand ready
and willing to bring punishment to all
those who seek to disturb society, or en-
0arrass or obstruct its agencies for the
Of law and order. Besides,
1t is : fundamental principle of law, that,
while the citizen owes allegiance to the
government, he hiss the right to demand,
1t any cost, protection for life, person and
and the full enjoyment of free
speech, a free bsIlot and safe home. !
The obligations are mutual, and where |
you ignore or weaken this right, you de-
;troy or diminish the duty of allegiance.
1t is not too much TO say, then, that |
where there are extra ordinary combina- |
ions to violate the laws there should be
legislation for its suppress |